Condenser.



J. ANDERSON.

GONDENSER.

APPLLGATION FILED 00,14, 1906.

Patented Oct. 12,1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ANDERSON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MONTAUK ENGINEERING COM-PANY, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONDENSER.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ANDnnsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCondensers, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to condensers, and more particularly to a class ofsurface condensers.

The main object of the invention is to provide a condenser wherein theelectrolytic action of the cooling agent, and of the exhaust steam willbe eliminated entirely, or reduced to a minimum.

A further object is to provide a condenser wherein the steam is passedthrough the tubes, and the tubes are cooled in a manner to insure higheiiiciency and avoid the deposit of foreign matter on the outside of thesaid tubes, and a resultant pitting through electrolytic action.

A still further object is to provide a condenser wherein the quantity ofcooling agent acting on the tubes will be graduated pro portionately tothe temperature of the steam as it passes through the length of thetubes, thus insuring the proper condensation of the steam withoutlowering the temperature in the hot well materially.

A still further object is to provide a condenser wherein steel tubes maybe employed, thus materially reducing the cost of production withoutaffecting the efficiency or durability of the condenser.

A still further object is to provide a condenser wherein the exhauststeam is passed through tubes, in which said steam will, before enteringsaid tubes, be subjected to the action of a reagent, neutralizing theoils or other impurities in suspension in the steam and modifying thesteam, thus preventing the deposit of such matter in the tubes andavoiding the pitting of the inside of said tubes. And a still furtherobject. is to provide a condenser which will be simple in constructionand design, and durable and efficient in use.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 4, 1906.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

seriai No. 337,380.

parts hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointedout in the claims hereto appended.

The accompanying drawing shows a side elevation of a condenser embodyingmy. invention, the upper part thereof being broken away and shown insection to disclose the details of the tubes and circulating waterdistributers as to their construction and arrangement, and the relationof the tubes to the chambers at the opposite ends thereof.

Referring to the said drawing, a indicates the condenser casing; b, theair pump; c, the circulating pump, and Z the hot well. The casing a hasoppositely disposed parallel head plates a a2 therein, in which arefitted a plurality of tubes e opening cutwardly of said platesrespectively. Beyond said head plate a. isa closed steam drum f forming"a chamber common to all said tubes and adapted to receive and distributethe exhaust steam. The plate a? has a similar drum g, beyond same incommunication with all the tubes e so as to accumulate the water ofcondensation and partially condensed vapors from said tubes.

The chamber f is in communication with the engine exhaust port through asteam pipe l1, and the head g is in communication with the air pump bthrough a pipe and a well g in the bottom of the drum g. The water ofcondensation is discharged from the pump Z) into the hot well CZ througha pipe b and it is drawn from said well for use in the boiler, through apipe d. The tubes e are cooled by having their exteriors subjected tothe action of a cooling agent circulated thereabout, the steam beingpassed or dra-wn through said tubes. lnasmuch as it is impracticable tomaintain such a circulation of water about the tubes by having thecasing filled with water and quantities thereof constantly withdrawn andadded thereto, I provide means whereby the cooling agent is dischargedin a spray over said tubes and prevented from accumulating in the casinga through a discharge pipe c communicating with the circulating pump C.This practice has the further advantage that, as in connection withmarine engines, a type illustrated in the drawings, when the coolingagent is salt water, this spray tends to constantly wash down the tubesand prevent CTI the depositl of salts or other impurities thereon, whichwould otherwise tend to pit the tubes through electrolysis.

In the accompanying drawings, the cooling agent is shown as introducedto the casing a through a pipe j opening through the hull of a boatbelow the water line, and discharging into one or more spraying devices,as perforated baflle plates, disposed in the upper part of said casing,for dividing the entire volume of water into small streams. The entirecondenser being below the water line, it is not required to use a pumpto introduce water to said casing through said pipe, and it is requiredto withdraw water from said casing by means of a pump. This however ismerely an adaptation of the device to this particular condition of use.

In order to regulate the quantity of cooling agent passing to the casingc, I extend said pipe along the top of said casing and have a pluralityof short length pipes 7s 71: 71:2 extending therefrom to said casing,each said pipe having a valve therein. Below the outlet of each pipe Lor 7a2 is preferably an individual baliie plate as m m mg. As thetemperature of the steam is highest upon entering the tubes e at a pointadjacent to the plate m, and is gradually lowered as it .progressesthrough said tubes, it apparent that to secure a better vacuum with thearesence of less water circulated with the steam and to insure increasedeliiciency and economy, it is desirable to have the volume of waterspraying over the tubes near that end greater, and that a graduallysmaller quantity of such water will be quite as ciiieient farther awayfrom said ends. I therefore, so construct and arrange the pipes 7a 7:7a2 and their respective battle plates m m m2, that the quantity ofcooling agent discharged therethrough, will be proportionate to thedistance of these elements from the drum f either by using smaller pipesor diminishing the size and number of the openings in the plates, orboth. Or if desired, such may be controlled through the respectivevalves or in any other desired manner. A valve j controls the feed ofwater through the pipe To prevent that electrolytic action on the partsof the condenser due to the salts and chemicals contained in solution orsuspension in the cooling agent, colnmon to condensers of this type, Imake the casing a., the heads a a2, the tubes c, the baffles m m m2 andthe various fittings and connections, of metal having the same polarity,preferably iron or steel, thus practically eliminating the evils ofelectrolysis in the condenser. To avoid corrosion of said tubes, I applya suitable metallic coating thereto, as by galvanizing, which willprotect the tubes from the oxids in the vater and preserve thesimilarity of polarity which is an important feature of my invention. Itis desirable that no copper or brass fittings should be used in thecirculating system and within the casing c, but if such be used, theyshould be heavily tinned. It will thus be seen that no materialelectrolytic action can take place within the casing a through the useof salt or impure water as a cooling agent. It will also be observedthat the tribes c not being submerged in a sluggishly moving body ofwater, but having a continuous filament of water flowing thereover, nosalts or other impurities can be deposited thereon through precipitationor otherwise, the spray of water serving to wash all such away. Thetubes being galvanized prevents such corrosion as would tend tointerfere with this process.

If desired an open vent a3 may be provided in the casing a to permit theescape of any gases released through the partial disruption of thecooling agent through contact with the heated tubes. v.The tubes e beingthus protected from agencies within the casing a, it is desirable 'toprovide means whereby the inside of said tubes may be similarlyprotected from pitting due to the solvent properties of the steam itselfand of the gases or acids released from said steam by the heat or formedfrom the cylinder oil or other impurities. In my Patent No. 742,954, Ihave shown an apparatus for accomplishing this result, and in thedrawings I have shown and will now describe an adaptation of theprinciples involved in said apparatus to a condenser of the typeheretofore described.

Leading from the hot well Z is a pipe a having a valve n at a convenientpoint of its length. This pipe opens into the exhaust steam pipe /zy ata point adjacent to its point of discharge into the drum f and has anelbow n2 between this point and the valve a. The discharge of said pipen is an ordinary spraying nozzle notshown.

A tank 0 containing a solution of caustic soda or other neutralizingagent is arranged on a plane above the elbow n2 and a pipe 0 having avalve 02 in its length, discharges said solution in the requiredquantities into the stream of water passing through the pipe a withwhich it is mixed and discharged into the steam passing through the pipe,72. to the condenser. This mixture commingling with the steam acts as areagent to destroy the oils or other impurities and modify theproperties of the steam itself, which through condensation would beotherwise deposited in the tubes c or carried from the condenser to thewell l and the boiler; thus serving to purify both the steam and thewater, and avoid the pitting of the condenser tubes and the boiler.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the condenser isapparent, and is substantially as follows: The condensing water orcooling' agent passes through the pipe j to the various discharge pipes7a lef and is distributed into a plurality of small jets by the bailleplates m m m2 the volume and velocity of these jets being graduated witha diminishing volume and velocity proportionate to the distance from thehead f. The water sprays directly upon the various tubes and flowsthereover in a continuous film until reaching the bottom of the casing(a. The pump o draws the water through the pipe c from the casing a, anddischarges it as waste, thus preventing an accumulation of such water inthe casing a. The exhaust steam passes through the pipe 7L and entrainsa mixture of pure water from the hot well and the neutralizing agent,which as heretofore stated, acts as a reagent to destroy the impuritiesin said steam and modify the properties of the steam itself in a mannerto prevent any injury to the tubes. The steam then passes to the head fwhere it is divided into a plurality of minute streams by the tubes e.The pump b acts continuously to maintain a partial vacuum within thecondenser tubes and the head chambers, thus not only inducing acirculation of the steam and water of condensation through the condenserand removing same, but drawing the supply of neutralizing agent from thepipes n and 0 into the pipe L. As the steam passes through the tubes eits temperature is suddenly lowered and thereafter still furthergradually lowered, the variance in the volume of water passing over thedifferent parts of said tubes being proportionate to the loss oftemperature in the steam. This rapid condensation at the entrance end ofthe said tubes provides sufficient additional uater to insure a moreperfect vacuum without introducing a sutliciently large volume of wellwater to materially lower the temperature of the feed water in saidwell. This variance also permits the water and vapors discharged intothe hot well being maintained at such a temperature as will best suit itfor feed water.

The employment of condenser parts having a similar polarity increasesthe durability and strength of the condenser, and lowers the cost ofproduction materially. The use of a spray instead of a permanent orchangeable body of water as a cooling agent not only lends addedetliciency through a constant and rapid change of the cooling agentacting on each tube, but prevents the deposit of injurious substances onthe outside of the tubes. The general construction and arrangement ofthe condenser is such as to insure strength, cheapness and durability.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to an apparatus embodyinga system for circulating the cooling agent such as is shown in thedrawings, it being apparent that such is but a convenient manner ofsecuring such circulation under one condition of use and not material tothe invention. Nor is it my intention to limit the invention to theprecise details of construction shown in the drawings, such beingsusceptible to various changes and modifications to adapt the inventionto different conditions of use.

Having described the invention, what I claim and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent is:

l. In a condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality of tubesmounted in said heads, means whereby exhauststeam may be passed throughsaid tubes including an exhaust steam pipe, and means circulating acooling agent within said casing and about said tubes, of a source ofpure water supply, and means whereby water drawn from said source ofsupply and discharged into said exhaust steam pipe.

2. In a condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality of tubesmounted in said heads, means whereby exhaust steam may be passed throughsaid tubes including an exhaust steam pipe, and means circulating acooling agent within said casing and about said tubes, of a source ofpure water supply, a pipe leading therefrom and discharging into saidexhaust steam pipe, and a controlling valve whereby the volume of waterpassing through said pipe is regulated.

8. In a surface condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality ftubes mounted in said heads, means whereby exhaust steam may be passedthrough said tubes, one or more spraying devices disposed above saidtubes, means whereby a cooling agent is continuously supplied to saiddevice or devices and means whereby the cooling agent is discharged fromsaid casing in quantities sufficient to prevent an accumulation of watertherein.

4. In a surface condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a. pluralityof tubes mounted in said heads, means whereby exhaust steam may bepassed through said tubes, a plurality of spraying devices arrangedlongitudinally of said casing, having graduated openings therein wherebythe quantity of said cooling agents will be graduated in a ratiodiminishing with the distance from the entrance to said tubes, meanswhereby a cooling agent is continuously supplied to said device ordevices and means whereby the cooling agent is discharged from saidcasing in quantities sufficient to prevent an accumulation of watertherein.

5. In a surface condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality oftubes mounted in said heads, means whereby exhaust steam may be passedthrough said tubes, a pipe extending longitudinally of said casing, aplurality of discharge pipes leading from said pipe and opening intosaid casing, valves for said discharge pipes respectively, a pluralityor' perforated baille plates disposed below said discharge pipesrespectively, said pipes and said battle plates or either of them havingopenings therein graduated in a ratio diminishing with the distance fromthe entrance to said tubes, means whereby a. cooling agent iscontinuously supplied to said pipe, and means whereby the cooling agentis discharged from said casing in quantities sutlicient to prevent anaccumulation o'tl water therein.

(l. n a surface condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality oftubes mounted in said heads, means whereby exhaust steam may be passedthrough said tubes, a pipe eX- tending longitudinally of said casing, aplurality ol discharge pipes leading from said pipe and opening intosaid casing, valves for said discharge pipes respectively, a plu ralityot' perforated baille plates disposed below said discharge pipesrespectively, said pipes and said baiile plates or either of them havingopenings therein graduated in a ratio diminishing with the distance fromthe entrance to said tubes, means whereby a cooling agent iscontinuously supplied to said pipe, and means whereby the cooling agentis discharged from said casing in quantities suflicient to prevent anaccumulation of water therein, said casing, said heads therefor, saidpiping, and said battle plates all being of material of similar'polarity whereby electrolytic action of the cooling agent is prevented.

7. In a surface condenser, a casing, tube heads therefor, a plurality oftubes mounted in said heads, an exhaust steam distributing chamber'beyond one of said heads and common to all said tubes, an exhaust steampipe discharging into said chamber, a similar chamber beyond the otherof said heads, means whereby the water of condensation is drawn fromsaid last mentioned chamber, a pipe extending longitudinally of saidcasing, a plurality of discharge pipes leading from said pipe andopening into said casino', valves for said discharge pipes respectively,a plurality of perforated baille plates disposed below said dischargepipes respectively, said pipes and said battle plates or either of themhaving openings therein graduated in a ratio diminishing with thedistance from the entrance to said tubes, means whereby a cooling agentis cont-inuously supplied to said pipe, means whereby 'the cooling agentis discharged from said casing in quantities suiiicient to prevent anaccumulation of water therein, said casing, said heads therefor, saidpiping and said baffle plates all being of material of similar polaritywhereby electrolytic action of the cooling agent is prevented, a sourceof water supply, and a pipe leading from said source of water supply.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto alicixed my signature, this 2nd dayof October, 1906, in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ANDERSON.

Titnesses F. T. lnNrwoRTH, GEORGE MCCAY.

